Mechanical sprayer.



H. S. & L. F. LEVY.

MECHANICAL SPRAYER. APPLiCATION men SEPT. 4, 1914.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

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HOWARD S. LEVY AND LIONEL IE. LEVY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MECHANICAL SPRAYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

Application filed September 4, 1914. Serial No. 860,208.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HOWARD S. LEVY and LIONEL F. LEVY, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l lechanical Sprayers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to mechanical spraycrs, particularly adapted for use as spray projecting means in machines for etching metal printing plates and like objects.

In certain types of etching machines the etching fluid is projected in spray form against the object to be etched, and the means used to project the spray comprise rotary disks provided with peripheral slots or buckets. As the disks revolve the fluid is picked up by the buckets and is projected in the form of spray against the object being treated. In the operation of such machines, it has been found that objects are not always uniformly or evenly etched, and we have ascertained that such lack of uniformity is due to the action and manner of mounting the spraying disks.

The principal object of our invention is to provide a novel form of sprayer which, in operation, will have the capacity to so project the spray that any given area of an object within the operative range of a sprayer will be etched with substantially absolute uniformity. 1 "We attain this object by so mounting each sprayer that, as it revolves, the spray which is longitudinally projected from the wheel will, as well, have a lateral or side sweep over the object being etched.

Our invention is illustrative exemplified in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a sprayer according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof; and Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the device in operation.

In the concrete form of device chosen to illustrate the principle of the invention, each sprayer comprises a hub or sleeve member 10, and a web member 11, provided with peripheral slots or buckets 12. The web 11,

which is preferably although not necessarily cast integrally with the hub 10, is arranged at an angle less than a right angle to the axis of the hub. As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 in somewhat exaggerated form, the plane of the web 11 extends at an angle of be tween fifteen and twenty degrees to the axis of the hub 10. The angle of inclination of the web 11 may be varied to suit given conditions. Ordinarily, the best results will be obtained if the angle of inclination is as stated, 15 or 20 to the vertical. In an etching machine a plurality of such sprayers will be set parallel on the driven shaft 13. The etching liquid is contained in a tank or chamber 1%, and the plate to be etched is dc-- noted 15. Y

The action of the sprayer is illustrated in. Fig. 8. As the sprayer revolves, it will project the spray against the plate 15, the spray fanning out laterally and covering the entire area within the operative range of the sprayer. During approximately one half of each revolution the sprayer will appear as shown at X and project the spray in the general form and direction of Y, and during approximately the neXt half of the revolution, the sprayer will appear as shown at X (dotted line position) and project the spray in the general form and direction of Y. In this manner, the area of the plate within the operative range of the sprayer will be completely swept from one side to the other by the spray, and an absolutely uniform depth of etching will be secured.

We claim In a mechanical sprayer, the combination of a shaft, a mechanical sprayer mounted thereon comprising a hub coaxial with said shaft and a web inclined in relation to the shaft and hub, and fluid pocketing and conveying means in the periphery of said web.

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

HOWARD S. LEVY. LIONEL F. LEVY.

Witnesses Orro MUNK, CLARICE FRANGK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

